Work

Food safety practice and its associated factors among food handlers working in food and drinking establishments in Hargeisa, Somaliland

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization reports that 600 million cases of food-borne illnesses occur every year. Additionally, it is estimated that upto 30% of people in developed countries experience food-borne illnesses annually, while developing countries suffer around 2 million deaths from these diseases each year. Inadequate sanitation and challenges in maintaining proper food handling practices are the major contributing factors of food-borne illnesses in developing countries including Somaliland. AIMS: The aim of the study was to assess food safety practices and its associated factors among food handlers working in food and drinking establishments in Hargeisa, Somaliland. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 20 to October 20, 2024, involving 306 randomly selected food handlers in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 22. Descriptive analysis summarized respondents' socio-demographic characteristics, while bivariate and multivariable analyses examined relationships in the data. Independent variables with a p-value below 0.25 were included in multivariable logistic regression to identify significant factors, using adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and a 95% confidence interval (CI), with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 306 food handlers participated. The majority (85.3%) of food handlers was males and 84% had non-formal education. The prevalence of poor food safety practices among food handlers was at 52.3%. Lack of food safety training (AOR = 0.172; 95% CI: 0.070, 0.420), less working experience (AOR = 1.757; 95% CI: 1.026, 3.009), lack of appropriate water storage equipment (AOR = 0.602; 95% CI: 0.364, 0.996), lack of regular sanitary inspection (AOR = 1.691; 95% CI: 1.028, 2.783), and poor knowledge (AOR = 0.589; 95% CI: 0.353, 0.983) were statistically associated with poor food safety practices. CONCLUSION: The study found low level of poor food safety practices; attributed to factors like food handler training, work experience, water storage equipment, sanitation inspections, and knowledge. However, enhancing food handling practices, particularly training is crucial to minimize food-borne diseases and promote optimal food safety practices.

Source: BMC Public Health

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-21617-7